Kit's life fell into a cycle. Someone would watch over her and Rose until they were called for by the Dark Lord. Kit went up without a fight, but always hesitated at the foot of the stairs. The idea of making a run for it always fluttered through her muggy, half-asleep mind as she climbed them. Her wounds never had a chance to heal before they were ripped open again, so both Rose and Kit were weak. They were being treated like animals, little food and water, kept in a cage-like room until they were called for, the taunts of the Death Eaters as they watched over them. An awful chill had settled in Kit's bones, forced there by the constant icy wind coming from the open window. The Dark Lord had run out of questions, but enjoyed their time together far too much to give them up just yet. But his patience was draining with each passing day. Kit was putting up less of a fight, showing less of a reaction. He pushed her to the extremes, tried to force a scream, a cry from her but her lips stayed locked shut. He was getting frustrated by it, the one hope Kit held onto. But the last sessions had almost broken her. She felt weak and helpless, every night having to turn to Rose for help. She should have been the one awake and talking Rosie through it all, making sure she was alright, but she could never make it that far. Her eyes usually slid shut during the questioning and she was thrown into their 'cage.' She awoke when Rose was dragged from the room and waited, forced to listen to her cousin's screams until she blacked out. That was why Kit couldn't scream or cry. She wouldn't make Rose listen to that, she had to be strong for her.

A month dragged by, the time moving unevenly as Kit went through long torture periods then blissful sleep that never seemed to last long enough. Each day it got harder and harder to bite on her tongue. Each day she closer to screaming, crying, thrashing about in response to the agony he'd put her through. She'd grown gaunt, hollow in that time. Fed little, weak from exhaustion, Kit hardly resembled the person she'd been before. She'd lost weight, making her look frail, her body was covered in bruises in every colour, her hair was limp. But worst were her eyes; bare, empty orbs that saw but never took anything in. She'd seen too much of the same to pay attention anymore. She'd seen Rosie crying beside her, she'd seen her blood splatter across the floor, her arm bent at an angle that couldn't be possible. What was the point of trying to take it in when it was always the same. But one day the door flew open and Kit was barely awake or alert enough to take the conversation in.

"Grab the blonde and clean her up. The Dark Lord is shipping her out. Says she's useless too him now." Kit simply stared at the opposite wall as her cousin was taken away, unable to conjure the strength to move. Rose's thrashing form slipped into her field of vision and Kit looked at her for a fleeting moment before her eyes slid past her, back to the wall. Rose screamed at her in Russian to not give up and to remember the ones she love, to remember James.

His name brought a deep ache to her whole body, worse than the splitting pain of the Cruciatus curse. It was a bone-deep longing for him, darkened by the knowledge that she might never see him again. She looked dejectedly down at her limp legs splayed out in front of her, bare in the cold, nipping air. Her left leg was turned in and she could see half of the grotesque scar the Dark Lord had given her on the first day. A crude version of the Dark Mark so many of his followers had. It made her sick to even look at it, so she turned her head slowly to look at the open door. It was open for her and she couldn't even conjure the will to get up and walk to it.

"He wishes to see you now." A new Death Eater said, bending to pick Kit up and half-carry her to the room at the top of the stairs. They had done away with the chair rather quickly and she was instead tossed to the floor. She pressed her cheek against the cool marble and stayed like that until he forced her to stand.

"Look at me." He ordered and Kit turned her hollow eyes to him. He frowned at her, taking in the sunken eyes and shaking hands. "You see, if you'd just answered my questions." Kit kept her mouth resolutely shut and stood by, waiting for the attacks to begin.

"This game has lost all its fun recently." His mouth turned into something that resembled a pout, but his eyes were far too excited at the thought of pushing to her the edge to have any meaning. Kit swayed on the spot for a moment, suddenly faint. She blinked and looked past the Dark Lord to where she'd seen him for a brief moment. The boy had been standing there for a fleeting instant. He looked so much like James, so much so that she let out a dry, quiet sob when she realized he wasn't there. The Dark Lord grinned triumphantly as she wrapped her arms around herself and shook.

"Finally getting through to you, am I?" He peered at her, his eyes searching her mind for some change, a sign that she'd finally given up. As he prodded her mind, Kit shifted and tried to fight the press of his mind against hers. "Not yet, then?" he asked, already having seen the answer in her mind. He raised his wand and aimed it at her head, the tip making a divot in her forehead. The pain would be numbing, blinding at the range. Kit closed her eyes, locked her mouth shut and prayed for mercy that would never come.

The wand vanished and Kit tumbled forward a step. She caught herself on her hands as he stepped over her like she was a piece of garbage.

"Katherine come here, why don't we say goodbye to your cousin." he half-turned to face her. Rose was leaving? Kit pushed herself up and grabbed a bottle from the desk, throwing at him as hard as her frail arms could manage. She growled, the sound ripping at her throat as she launched herself at him. All it took was a flick of his wand and she went flying into the wall. Kit slid down the bricks and pressed her face into her arm. She couldn't cry now, she couldn't give in, give him the pleasure of seeing her scream. But Rose was gone now.

With that thought, Kit felt the last shred of her resolve snap and before he'd taken a step towards her, she screamed. A sound of pure agony came from her lips, enough to make any sane man merciful, but not the Dark Lord. He was positively gleeful as she cried for everything she'd held in for the past month. She cried for everything Rose had been put through, relived every snap of her bones. She cried because she missed James in a way that made her heart ache. A new pain stabbed at her back and she could see him standing over her, a trail of blood slipping down his neck from where the bottle had cut him. He ignored the blood as he tortured her, enjoying to look on her face too much to consider taking his eyes from it. Pure, twisted agony. A look he'd dreamt of seeing on her face, on her father's face for years.

The empty room was cavernous now, cold without the comfort of Rose. Kit had spent too many nights alone in it, trying to tend to her own wounds, her eyes too blurry to be of any help. She was dissolving into madness, seeing the little boy everywhere. Her mind played tricks on her, let her think that James was near, that Rose or Remus or anyone would be there when she woke up. Each day she lost a bit more of her resolve. It became clearer each day that she was fighting a losing battle.

She knew nothing of the world outside the Dark Lord's office. Not of the weather, not of the people who brought her to and from their meetings. Everything beyond the door was a blur but every second inside the room was in vivid detail within her mind. But one moment was burned into her mind, something she knew she'd never be able to forget.

She'd given in.

It made her sick every time she thought about it. How weak she was, how she'd lied to everyone. She was a fraud, a fake. She'd deceived everyone into believing she was strong and would never break. What a lie that had been. He'd been driven by her new screams and cries and now pushed her further in some attempt to elicit even loud shrieks. One day, shaking and bloodied, she'd snapped.

"Fine," she'd said, her voice barely a whisper.

"Pardon?" He'd asked, as if he hadn't heard the single word he'd been waiting for. She crawled over to him, numb hands tripping along the stones. With cracked lips, she'd placed a bloody kiss against his hand. He's looked down at his hand in wonder and had lifted her up a moment later. He'd been proud, triumphant as he led her through the house. The days in the cell were gone, and now she was placed in a lush room with anything she could ever want. He was trying to buy her trust and power.

Kit sat on the edge of the massive bed, her now smooth hands shaking despite the warm fire. They hadn't stopped shaking since Rose had left. Curling them into fists, she stood and paced the room. She was so disappointed with herself, sicked by her weak choice. But to face another day of torture would have surely pushed her over the edge. Broken what little she had left. She felt sick, the luxurious meal she'd just finished sitting unpleasantly in her stomach. She almost suspected that Bellatrix had poisoned her food, but not even Bella would be stupid enough to kill the Dark Lord's newest pet. Kit picked up a beautiful glass statue, weighed it in her hands for a moment, then tossed it into the fire. Shards scattered along the grate and it made a satisfying sound as it shattered, but it didn't bring the relief she'd hoped for.

"Problem?" A smooth voice asked from her door.

"Go away, Malfoy."

"You know, if you're looking to vent a little steam, may I suggest a great option?" He asked, an annoying pleasantness in his voice. It was as if Voldemort had scared them all into being nice to her. They treated her like the ground she walked on was sacred. To her face at least; behind her back they plotted her death, ways to kill her and make it look like an accident. If it was only that easy, Kit often found herself thinking. But it wasn't, of course. Now that Kit was on his side, she had things she needed to do. Keep him away from her family and friends. Protect the ones she was closest to.

"I could bring a blood traitor up here. It's quite therapeutic..." he tried to dodge the spell Kit cast at him and reacted a moment too late and went flying down the hall.

"Quite," she murmured as she followed him out into the hall. "Don't tempt me, Malfoy." Kit warned, her wand pressed against his temple. "I suggest you watch your words around me from now on. Your death can be justified; I am his favourite." She sad wryly, her mouth pulling into a grimace. But instead of being scared, Lucius just smiled at her.

"You're already changing, embracing who you are. It's in your blood, Kit." His eyes widened into horror as she flung him down the stairs. Not bothering to see if he was alright, she walked back into her room and locked the door behind her. She just made it to the washroom before she was sick.

What bothered her the most was that Rose wasn't there and she had no idea where she was, whether or not she was alive or if she was strong enough to say no. She wished to find Rose but at the same time dreaded the thought of her seeing Kit like this. Kit hadn't agreed because she had a greater plan or because she was just playing along until she had enough strength to kill Voldemort; no, she'd agreed because she was terrified of the insanity he'd threatened her with, of the death he'd promised her. She was weak and she couldn't let Rose see that.

But the Dark Lord wanted nothing but to show Rose her cousin's choice, to parade Kit around like a prized pet. She'd made up excuses, put up enough of a fight to make him hold off for a week longer, but Kit couldn't hide forever. He'd coax her out of the room if it was the last thing he did. If Rose saw what her cousin had done, she was malleable to them. Rose needed Kit, depended on her and if her hero had given in, her world would shatter.

"Katherine." He said with a knock on her door. Kit put her hand on the handle but didn't open it. "I require your presence."

"No."

"That, sadly, isn't an option." The door flew open and Kit stumbled back. He was dressed in his finest, his robes impeccable. "Get ready." He tossed a dress at her and if the circumstances had been different, it would have been funny. But Kit found nothing humourous in the dark, flowing dress he'd given her. There was something sinister about it that she couldn't place. As if agreeing to wear it to the meeting would change her moment of weakness into something permanent. It made her look frightening, her hair loose about her shoulders. She was well-fed now, no longer gaunt or shaking. The dress emphasized that, made it obvious how well she was doing now. She appeared to be in perfect health, and content with where she was so long as no one looked at her eyes. They were devoid of anything, carefully blank of any feeling. The same dreary stare met the faceless people who were waiting in the foyer. Kit walked in behind the Dark Lord and took a seat to his right. There was a murmur of surprise as she sat but Kit looked resolutely at the wall behind their heads as they bowed to him.

"Welcome all. Now before we start anything, I would like Rosalinda to come here. Regulus, get your pet up." The Dark Lord motioned to the man and a woman was thrown at their feet. Kit saw a flash of blonde hair and met the girl's gaze. The Dark Lord spoke to her, but her ice blue eyes were trained at the girl she'd once been friends with.

"No. Please no. Not her, I beg you, not her." The girl pleaded, never taking her eyes from Kit. The dark green dress she wore folding under her as she collapsed her Kit's feet. She begged her to think of her friends and family, to think of James and the people she loved. Kit couldn't meet her eyes, too disgusted with herself to make a move. But Rosalinda begged her to look down, to see her cousin and promise everything was going to be alright.

"Take her away," Kit said slowly. The room went silent, every eye locked onto Kit as she stood. "I said take her away. Leave her in my chambers." Everyone waited for the Dark Lord to say something, but Kit took another step closer to the crowd.

"He didn't give an order. I did. Do as I say." Regulus looked past Kit to the Dark Lord with a nervous grin.

"My Lord, is that wise?"

Voldemort grinned and nodded at Kit. "Completely." Kit nodded back and took Rose up to her room. She put Rose on the bed and left again before her cousin could say anything. Regulus was in hall, waiting for her.

"Go back down. Don't come back up until you're called."

"But-"

"But nothing. You've been given an order."

"You think you have so much power. You're nothing-" Regulus stopped his irate rant when Kit gave him a push down the stairs.

"Katherine!" Rose's arms wrapped around her fiercely when Kit entered the room. "I knew it was not true. You have not given in." Rose clung to her, faltering only when Kit pushed her away. "Kit, what is matter?"

"It isn't an act."

"What?"

"It's not an act. I'm not pretending." Kit couldn't look at Rose, but instead focused on the wall just beside her head.

"Of course you are." Rose said, as if Kit wasn't capable of lying to her.

"No, I'm not. I can't...I couldn't do it. I had no choice."

Rose was already shaking her head and muttering, "no, no, no," under her breath. She hugged her limp arms around herself and shook her head. "You are the strong one."

"No, I'm not Rosie. I tried..."

"You should have tried harder! Everyone's looking for you and you're going to let them see you like this! Turned into the thing you said you hated most!"

"What good am I to anybody dead, Rose! Answer me that!"

"He wouldn't kill you,"

"You don't believe that. What good am I half-crazed because of the Cruciatus curse?"

"What good are you to our friends if you've become one of them?"

"Alive. Sane." The cold facade began to crack, her eyes flickering to Rose's face for a moment.

"You cannot be sane if you've given in! Kit, this isn't who you are!"

"What if it is, Rose? What if I am just like him? It seems to come rather naturally to me." There was a dangerous, dark humour somewhere in her words. She closed her eyes and took another step away from Rose.

"How could you say that?" Rose asked, her voice small and hurt.

"I'm alive aren't I? Well-fed, sane? If I'd truly been against it, I'd be dead. At my own hand or his, but I would be. And I'm not. What other explanation is there?"

"This is in act so you can get away!"

"Even if I could fool the Dark Lord, which I can't, what would the point be? He'd have me caught and killed before I could leave this mansion."

"This isn't true..."

"What do you want me to say, Rose? Lie and tell you everything will be fine? Lull you into a sense of security but tear it away a moment later? Even you can't be that naive."

"What about James? And your parents? What about me, Kit? What happens to us when you're gone? I need you, you are the strong one. I can't do this alone..."

"You've made it this far. You don't need me. My parents will understand. James..." Kit stopped, feeling the familiar ache in her chest. "He'll move on." That thought pained her too much to say. But she wasn't the same now. She may have still hated her decision, but it was irreversible now. She had to forget her old life or be plagued by painful memories of what everyone had expected of her. She walked quickly over to the door and pulled it open.

"Leave."

"What?"

"Leave. Go. Now!" Kit grabbed her cousin's wrist and yanked her to the door.

"Kit, please, no, not like this! This isn't you!" Kit slammed the door shut on Rose and locked the door. No doubt Regulus was lurking somewhere close by and was ready to take Rose home. Kit fell onto her bed and held her head between her hands.

Kit looked out her window out onto the defrosting grass. It had been too long since that night at Hogwarts, months even. It had been nearly as long since she'd seen Rose. After their last meeting, Kit had requested that she and Rose not cross paths again. It was for the best, she assumed. But in that time, with no outside force to remind her of who she was and what she was supposed stand up for, Kit began to lose herself to the darker side. With no one to remind her of her morals, only a man who saw the power she held and the purity of her blood. She'd gone through a period of time where she'd been cool and distant from everyone, too disgusted with herself to make any contact, but she was coaxed from her room and now her eyes held that spark of life, that dark intensity that came with power. She had power now, she could boss around the young Death Eaters and had instilled enough fear into some of the older ones to make them do what she wanted. Her new found power was exhilarating to a point where Kit wondered if she'd been craving it for her whole life. Perhaps this was her calling, after all. It suited her so well. She smiled out across the landscape and took a sip of expensive coffee. She snapped her fingers and a house elf appeared at her side.

"Inform my master that I wish to meet with him." She said.

"Of course, mistress." The faint pop signalled her departure and Kit was left alone again to wander the large room. She walked slowly over to her closet and frowned at the clothes there, or lack thereof. The perfect excuse.

"He will see you now." The house elf said from the door. Kit smiled into her mug; he was always so prompt.

"I wish to visit Diagon Alley." She stated when the door of his study closed behind her.

"What for?" He asked nonchlantly, not looking up from his papers. It was strange to see him looking through papers , a task so mundane that it was ill-suited for a man of such power.

"What are you doing?" She asked him while taking a seat opposite him. He lowered the page he was looking at and pursed his lips.

"Looking for people."

"What sort of people?"

"Ministry people that can be of use. Unfortunately, my greatest asset hasn't attended a single meeting." He frowned at Kit as he spoke of her mother. Kit shook her head and looked about the room.

"That's quite out of my hands, Master."

He sighed and tilted his head. "I'm aware." He reached across the desk and held her chin. "You look quite like your mother."

"I would stay and help, but I've been here for some time and have yet to get any robes save for the ones I was given months ago. A trip to Diagon Alley would be very useful."

"Of course. Be back by nightfall, I have a surprise for you." Kit returned his smile and bowed as she left the room. She walked into the foyer, took a handful of Floo Powder and travelled back to Diagon Alley. It was a chilly day in March, but the frost had stopped clinging to the windows. Kit ducked into the first robes store she could find and bought the warmest ones she saw. A long, thick felt jacket with fur lining, a floppy wool cap and warm kid gloves kept her the chill out.

"How will you be paying for this?" The woman asked at the desk.

"Ruskova. I have an account at Gringotts." The woman nodded and Kit went shrugged her purchases on. She needed some proper clothes, not just dress robes and outerwear. She hated shopping as well, but it needed to be done. After getting some money from the bank, she saw an expensive clothing shop at the end of the road and headed into it. The young witch asked if she needed any help and Kit pressed a galleon into her hand. Giving her her measurements, Kit told her to buy what she thought was best and that she'd be back in a hour to pick the clothes up. Meanwhile, Kit sat in the warmth of the tavern and drank lazily from a mug of Butterbeer.

Diagon Alley was filled with students of every age, wanting to get new things before classes started up again. Kit watched them from her table and frowned at them. That was what she should have been doing. A bunch of kids walked into the tavern and took a table not far from her. Four boys, each too rowdy for the quiet bar. A low ache of remembrance went through her and she tossed her money onto the table before leaving. She couldn't be around those boys, it brought back too many memories. It had only been three months, but it felt like a lifetime. She was a different person now. She walked into the Apothecary simply because no teenager willingly went into it. It provided her with a moment of solace to recover form something that had had much too much of an impact on her.

"Never thought I'd see you in here," she remarked dryly and Kit looked up to see Severus standing at the end of the aisle. "Not getting supplies for class, I assume."

"No. I'm not." Kit found herself smiling at him.

"They got to you?"

"I realized the truth,"

"You really believe that?" He asked. He walked towards her and looked down at her. "What have they made you do?"

"They've given me power, they've shown me what impurities lie within the weak. They brought a man in last week, he worked in the Muggle Protection sector of the Ministry. He was a sympathizer." Kit spat the word out and shook her head. "He realized the error of his ways."

"You watched him get tortured." Severus said and lowered his eyes when she nodded. "You don't seem upset."

"I'm not. I watch as he got what he deserved."

"You certainly not the girl from Hogwarts." He said slowly. Kit smiled wryly at him.

"You mean I'm not the same girl who was taken from her friends and family to be shoved in a cell and pushed to her breaking point until she was forced to agree? No, I'm not the same girl. I was naive, foolish. I...I like the power." She confided in him quietly. "I crave it. I'm needed by him. It's empowering to be needed by someone so powerful."

He leaned against the shelves and crossed his arms. "I can understand that. I can also understand that the Dark Lord can be very...persuasive." He shared a dark look with her and she nodded. "But what I can't understand is how you cut off all ties with the rest of the world."

"It's easier this way. I can't be caught between who I was and who I am now. It's too painful."

"I understand. Well, you may want to leave if that's the case. Potter and his friends are in the Alley. I can imagine that crossing paths with them would be quite painful."

Kit looked out the window and saw a familiar mop of black hair pass by. She clenched her hands and nodded at Severus.

"Quite." She pulled her hat lower over her face and tugged her collar higher up before walked back to the clothing shop. She brushed past Remus on her way and didn't stop to apologize. The group walked away, but James was staring after her.

"I'll meet up with you," he said distractedly. He followed the short woman to the clothing store and waited for her to come out. As she stepped onto the street, he caught a glimpse of a snub nose peeking out from under her hat.

"Kit," he whispered. The woman whipped around to face him and he saw the brown eyes he'd spent days staring at. She turned and ran off. "Kit!" He took off after her. Oh, Merlin, she was alive. He'd known she wasn't dead. All the others had given up, but he knew. He could feel it.

"Kit!" She turned down an alleyway and tossed a cauldron into the street to stop him. He grabbed her and pressed her against the alley wall.

"Why are you running?" He asked breathlessly. She couldn't look away from him, his eyes, his pink nose. Her mouth fell open as she stared at him. "Kit, I was so worried. We thought you were dead." He pulled her to him, but she shoved him back.

"No. No, I can't."

"Wha-?" James asked, reaching for her. She brandished her wand and shook her head.

"Get away from me." Kit aimed a spell at him and dove into a store. Grabbing a handful of Floor Powder, she jumped into the fireplace. She was breathless as she stepped into the familiar foyer. He was waiting for her with his back turner, but Kit could only see his silhouette. She gasped for breath, each gulp of air sending a sharp pain through her chest. The new clothes fell to the ground and into the ash, but Kit couldn't sense anything past the burn in her heart.

"Did something upsetting happen?" the Dark Lord asked quietly. "Not trying to run from me, I hope."

"N-no sir. Never, my lord. I only...I..." she fought to find the words to explain how she felt, what had happened. Seeing James, so much she'd remembered put her through too much pain. It had triggered something. She could feel a thought creeping into her head, sneaking into her subconscious like a snake. She second-guessed every action she'd made in the past three months.

"Katherine?" He asked.

Kit shook her head and faced him. "I'm ready."

"Ready?" He repeated, but he knew exactly what she meant. She'd outright refused to torture another person. She watched the questioning, sat through a person's scream, but would never raise her wand or lay a hand on them. Evidently, whatever had upset Kit was enough to make her doubt who she was. Curious, he reached into her mind and saw Potter. A cruel smile spread across his lips as he nodded. "Of course. Go get ready, we will be waiting in the meeting room when you are ready." He spun and walked off, excitement tingling in every vein.

Kit walked up the stairs and pushed open the door to her room with her hip. She was wound up, on edge because of that single thought that had shaken her. The things she'd sworn by before this, that she would never give in, that this wasn't who she was, came back with a vengeance upon seeing James' face. Irritated, Kit picked out the first thing she found in the bag and threw it on. A pair of smart black slacks and a deep purple silk blouse. With the look in her eye and her long, dark hair pulled back she looked like every other high ranking Death Eater; ready to kill. The click of her new shoes echoed through the halls and she could hear the muted conversations stop altogether when she entered the room. Voldemort stood with the other Death Eaters in a circle, all blocking Kit's view of what was waiting for her in the centre. He saw her and beckoned her over.

"Katherine. May I be the first to say that we are ecstatic that you are going through with this stage in your initiation." Kit nodded once and moved past him and into the circle. He was shocked for a moment at her brusqueness but was watching the scene unfold with glee a moment later.

Kit looked down at the people waiting their punishment, her eyes dark and cold. Her knuckles cracked as they tightened around her wand.

"Kit," Remus said, his warm eyes seeking mercy. Kit's eyes tore away from James and she glared at him. "Take the others away. Leave the half-breed." She instructed slowly. The others yelled in protest, thrashing as they were taken away. They shouted at her to remember, words that meant little to her now.

"Kit, this isn't you! You know this isn't!"

"Stop!" Kit told the two brutes that were leading the boys out. James nearly sagged with relief, believing that he'd gotten through to her.

"Put them here," she pointed to the three seats that lined the shortest wall. The Death Eaters parted to let her by and she sat each of the boys in a chair. Muttering under her breath, she froze them to the seats. "Front row seats." She told them slowly before turning back to her first victim.

"Hello," she said pleasantly enough, circling him like he was her prey. "I must say that I'm quite surprised with my master's choice of people. Impressed as well." She stood behind him and put her hands on his shoulder as she faced the three onlookers. "And here I thought The Marauders were undefeatable, unstoppable. It's interesting how bold people are until they see true power."

"Is that what you have? True power?" Sirius spat at her, straining against his bonds.

"You'd be wise to shut your mouth, Black." Kit hissed. "I think Remus should serve as an example, don't you?" She trailed the tip of her wand down his cheek, a cold amusement lurking in her eyes. "For every stupid thing Black says, this little mutt gets a taste of that true power. We all know Sirius can't restrain himself." There was a ripple of laughter through the crowd as Kit looked at Sirius, daring him to say something else. The laughter died as Kit stepped back and aimed her wand at the shaking boy. There was an intake of breath before Kit fired a spell at him and watching him go flying into the crowd. He groaned loudly as they pushed him back violently, not missing a chance to kick him or commit some other bodily harm. Just as he came back into view, Kit sent him flying back.

"What was that for?" Sirius yelled at her.

"For being a half-breed. And this is for you're little outburst." Kit grabbed Remus's collar and pressed her wand into his neck. Orange light seeped through his body and he shook violently, his back arching in pain.

"Let him go!" Sirius shouted at her and with a single sweeping motion, Kit switched Remus for Sirius.

"Sirius Black." Kit slashed at his cheek with her wand. "Where to begin? You're a blood traitor, a disgrace to your family, you're pig-headed, vain, inconsiderate and thick-skulled. Eight years I've been waiting to do this." Kit watched as he clenched his fists, squeezing them against his legs. "You want to fight me? By all means, take a wand, if you must." Kit bowed slightly with her hand out. Sirius took a step forward, his hand raised as he pulled his fist back. But he couldn't go through with him.

"Compassion. Disgusting." She leapt forward and sent Sirius to his knees with a spell. She aimed a kick at his ribs. "Come on, you're just going to sit back? You used to be a fighter! Did my up-tight cousin rub off on you? That bitch changed you didn't she?" Sirius grabbed her leg and pulled her down. Kit screamed and shoved her wand into his side.

"Cruico!" There was a stunned silence at her choice of spell and as Sirius twitched on the ground. Kit found herself yelling at him. "Yell, scream, dammit! Cry like a baby! You can't suffer in silence forever, everyone has a breaking point!" He had to make some sound, if only to reassure her that she wasn't the only one who'd broken. "Or do you think you can deal with the pain? What if you saw your best friend writhing in agony? Or your precious little Rose?" Kit knew that was what would send him over the edge. "Get her."

"Excuse me?" Regulus asked, breathless from seeing his older bother tossed around like a rag doll.

"Get Rosalinda." She never broke eye contact with Sirius, wanting to see that sudden moment of realization that she wasn't joking. But it never came; instead he started laughing. She took the curse off of him and watched as he shook with laughter.

"Shut up!" She hissed at him, kicking him in the ribs until blood bubbled at the corners of his mouth. But he was still laughing at her. She grabbed him and pulled him to his feet. "What the fuck is so funny, huh? I'm going to kill your best friend in front of you and make you watch. Then I'm going to get that cunt you're in love with and make her scream for mercy." She threatened him, her nostrils white and flared. A hushed silence fell over them save for Sirius's laughter.

"You think this is a fucking joke?" Kit pushed him back and grabbed James from his seat. Holding him in place, she stabbed her wand into his chest. "Cruico!" James fell to his knees and clutched his head. While he was still under the curse, Kit slashed at his exposed back the way the Dark Lord had so many weeks ago. "Still think this is funny?" Kit released James from the curse but caught him before he fell to the ground. Finding a deep gash in his side, she shoved her wand into it, smiling when he screamed. She tossed James aside and stalked over to Sirius.

"This isn't a joke or an act. This is who I am, who I've always been. It's pathetic that you all think a few words will bring back the weak person I was before. It's a wasted effort."

"Your parents-" Remus said and Kit silenced him with a quick curse.

"My parents are weak and too stuck in their ways to see that this is what is right, this is who we are. You think we're the bad one but you prey on people like Peter," she grabbed the stout blond by the hair and dragged him to the centre. "Weak, defenceless, too scared to make their own choices. We embrace them, show them the light. You mocked him, brought him to tears, ignored him." Kit shoved Peter into a Death Eaters arms and waved a hand at the three bloodied boys on the ground. "They'll never treat you properly. They'll always see you as weak and easily manipulated. But we will teach you, treat you like one of our own. You could have everything. Women, money, anything you wanted."

"D-d-do you have that stuff?" Peter asked quietly.

"All of it." To prove her point, Kit reached into the crowd and took Malfoy's hand.

"No," James muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. Kit slid her hand up Lucius's arm and pulled his lips down to meet hers. He'd been pleasant to her before she'd crossed over and had been obviously attracted to her now that she was on his side. Lucius had more than once visited her room. He ravished her now, knowing how it upset Potter. His slid his hands down the smooth line of her waist, hands slipping across the slick silk. James lunched him at the two, but Kit flicked her wand at him and sent him back. She pulled away from Lucius and faced Peter.

"What do you say, Peter? A lifetime of mocking and cruelty or a life filled with power and desire?" He thought deeply about it, his face growing red in the process. But at last he look up at her and shook his head.

"No."

"What did you say?" Kit was before him in an instant, grabbing his throat and daring him to speak again.

"No," he squeaked. Kit tossed him aside and crouched to look James in the eye.

"Congratulations, you've got a spineless, fat, idiot on your side."

"At least he didn't break. he didn't get fooled by the promise of power. He didn't cave in and give the Dark Lord exactly what he wanted. He was strong." James stared into her eyes as he spoke, seeing how the words affected her. Kit stood quickly and stalked away from them.

"Get them out of here." She order before walking out the door. James' words had been perfectly clear; Peter Pettigrew, a spineless being was able to withstand the promise of power. He was stronger than she was. That ate away at her to no end. The fact that Peter hadn't been tortured didn't register with her, only that someone as talentless as Peter Pettigrew had withstood what she couldn't. It made her livid and disgusted at the same time. She slammed the door to her room shut like some petulant child and didn't come out until the sun had set.

Kit heard the house settle and go quiet as everyone left and went back to their homes. She heard the door to her Master's room shut and she rose slowly from her bed. She slid her shoes off and padded down the stairs to the basement. She could see a light shine from underneath the metal door and when the stair creaked under her foot, the light went out. Of course they'd be put in there. Kit unlocked the door and shut it quietly behind her.

"Do you know how long I was in here?" Kit took a step forward. "A month. A month of being treated like an animal." She spoke quietly and slowly, unable to see them in the dark.

"We'll get you out of here, Kit. This isn't where you need to be." James said earnestly.

"You're just like Rose. She thought it was an act too. It's not, James. It's truly not."

"Rose is safe," Sirius said hoarsely. Kit whipped around to face him.

"Rose is safe?" She asked, something tugging at her heart.

"Yes, she's safe. You'll be too, we can get you out. This isn't you, Kit. I know it isn't." James found her hands in the dark and held them in his own. "I know it's hard to see now, but this isn't who you are, I know it isn't. You didn't have a choice, you were forced into this..." James whispered soothingly, but Kit was shaking her head. She stood quickly and held the door open.

"Leave. Go back to wherever you're staying." Kit pointed out the door and waited for them to move. When none of them did, she pushed Sirius out. "I don't want to see you again. Go!" It was too hard to have them here, even if she wanted nothing more than to hurt them, tear them apart. They all brought too much of her past life back to the forefront of her mind. It hurt her too much to hear the hope in their voices. It brought back too many aches that she couldn't explain of define.

"We won't leave you here." James grabbed her arm but Kit twisted out of it.

"No. I don't want to leave. This isn't an act, I am that person. For Merlin's sake, James, I just tortured you! I cut your back open, I forced you to watch as I hurt your best friend. Why are you still trying?"

"Because I love you and I know this isn't who you are." James tried to hold her, to press a kiss against her lips, but Kit ducked out of the way and pointed up the stairs.

"Go before he wakes up." They all gave her a final look before creeping up the stairs. Kit collapsed and brought her knees to her chest. She cried until her ribs hurt, not knowing why she was crying, only that she couldn't stop.

This chapter is over 7000 words. And interestingly enough it didn't take that long to write. I really got into a groove writing this chapter. Kit's transformation makes sense in my mind and I'm rather hoping that it translates easily to you. Beneath everything, Kit needs power, she's drawn to it. She needs people to need her and Voldemort truly needs her. She hates herself for the choice in the beginning but over time she begins to see things differently. Not unlike Stockholm Syndrome. Let me know what you think, if it came across the right way.

I've written a few short scenes that are part of the story but are told from a different perspective and I was thinking of posting them as another story. If any of you are interested, send me a messages or review and let me know.